Jakarta. Former education minister Nadiem Makarim broke into tears after attending a court hearing in Jakarta on Tuesday, saying he was deeply exhausted by the corruption case against him.

Nadiem -- also a co-founder of ride-hailing firm Gojek -- is charged over the procurement of Chromebook laptops for schoolchildren in remote and underdeveloped regions, a project prosecutors say caused state losses of Rp 2.18 trillion ($119 million).

He has denied all wrongdoing.

“I want all of this to end soon because I am very tired,” Nadiem said at the Central Jakarta District Court.

He was detained by prosecutors in September 2025, and his trial began on Jan. 5, 2026.

His parents and many motorcycle taxi drivers affiliated with Gojek have attended court hearings regularly to show moral support.

Nadiem said the laptops were purchased below market prices and therefore did not cause state losses. Instead, he argued, the procurement helped save public funds.

“This program did not create losses, but instead generated budget savings because the price was lower than the market rate. In addition, the software was provided free of charge. It is ironic that I am now being accused of corruption,” he said.

The case centers on the Education Ministry’s purchase of thousands of laptops between 2020 and 2022 that prosecutors say were largely ineffective because of limited internet access in disadvantaged areas.

They also argue that the procurement process failed to comply with planning requirements and established purchasing principles.

Prosecutors have further accused Nadiem of receiving Rp 809.59 billion in personal gains from the project, an allegation that forms a central part of the criminal case now under review by the court.

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